Welcome Parents!
We're glad you've taken the time to check out Delta Chi. Whether your son is a Brother or is interested in rushing Delta Chi, we're sure you've got questions and curiosities about the Fraternity. Below are some answers to common questions parents often have, as well as materials to help parents get more involved in the Colony (UMass Delta Chi is not yet a Chapter, we'll explain that too).
What is Delta Chi?
"So what exactly is Delta Chi? What is my son getting involved in?"
If you'd like to get an in-depth answer to this question, you can view our
"About Delta Chi" page. To sum it up, Delta Chi is
a social fraternity that focuses on building brotherhood, fostering close, life-long
friendships, advancing its members' academics, and preparing Men for the social and
professional situations of the real, post-college world. We do this through
social events with other fraternities and sororities, study groups, workshops, and
incorporating our Fraternity's values and ideals into our daily lives. Delta Chi
men are Gentlemen, and we pride ourselves on that.
Colony vs. Chapter?
"What did you mean when you said you're a Colony and not yet
a Chapter?"
UMass Delta Chi is now in its second installation at UMass after a short
haitus. When a Fraternity creates an expansion at a new school, that expansion
must grow a bit before it becomes a full-fledged Chapter of the Fraternity.
This involves a number of requirements including size, sound finances,
alumni support, involvement in the campus/greek system/ intramurals, etc.
Being a Colony means nothing about legitimacy; we are an official part
of Delta Chi and all of our Brothers are 100% Delta Chi... there is no
penalty for being in a Colony. Once we have met all the requirements,
which we anticipate will happen very soon, we will go through the appropriate
steps to gain our Charter and become an official Chapter of Delta Chi.
Hazing
"Is my son going to have to endure any hazing to earn membership?"
The short answer is: Absolutely Not. Not only is Hazing against University
policy and Delta Chi Law, but it is illegal in the State of Massachusetts. Delta Chi
follows the FIPG Risk Management policy, which has a very thorough definition of
hazing and little tolerance for it. For more information on FIPG, its policy, and its description of
hazing please check out our FIPG page.
Beyond the rules and policy, we in UMass Delta Chi simply do not believe
there is any worth or merit to hazing. It doesn't make you a better man
to degrade someone or to be forced to do something you don't want to do,
no matter how harmless. Furthermore, once hazing begins it will only get
worse as time goes on, eventually leading to possible physical harm, which
no Brother wants. Being that we are newly re-established on campus we
start with a fresh slate and are able to stop hazing from starting, keep
it from starting and do things the right way. Rest assured that we intend
to keep hazing out of our Fraternity as long as we remain on campus.
Academics vs. Partying
"I've seen the movies and heard the stories...is all you do in a frat party?
Will my son's grades suffer?"
First, I'll say that we are a Fraternity, not a "frat". Greek life has
gained a bad reputation through the years for partying like animals and
not doing much else. The term "frat", while an easy abbreviation, often
carries the stigma of that bad reputation. Fraternities and Sororities
have come a long way since the 70's, a time where things were eerily similar
to what you see in the movies. Today, Fraternities are social organizations
that take academics, philanthropy, community service and campus involvement
just as seriously, if not moreso, than the "fun stuff". While we do like to
enjoy ourselves and have a good time, we hold our members to certain academic
standards in order to hold Executive Board positions, have the privelige of
having a Little Brother, and even to remain an active brother.
In order to help our members hold themselves up to these standards, our
Scholarship Chair (recently moved to an E-board position because of its
importance) has programs in place such as Study Tables (mandatory if below the minimum
GPA), workshops, and various scholastic achievement-oriented incentive programs.
Brothers also often study together outside of these programs or tutor younger Brothers
in classes they've already taken.
We take our academics very seriously, as they are the reason we're at UMass.
What about Cost?
"What about money? I know my son is going to have to pay Dues...where exactly
does the money go?"
Each semester your son, as well as every Brother and Associate Member, will be expected
to pay their Dues. Below is a brief breakdown of what their Dues break down into.
-Associate Member Dues: Each new member pays this once at the beginning of their time with
Delta Chi, and never again. This goes towards materials needed for each Associate Member
as well as the programs run for the Associate Member Education process.
-Enrollment/Initiation Dues: prior to initiation as an Active member, each member pays
the one time enrollment/initiation fee.
-Membership Dues: These are paid each semester of active membership. This fee is
returned to the Brothers through Leadership Consultant visits, funding for the
International Convention (held every other year), operation and maintenance
of an international headquarters office, and many of the other resources and supplies
that enhance the Delta Chi experience.
-Risk Management: The chapter/colony pays this per-member each
semester. This covers a range of activities and events and is extended
to associate members. General Liability Insurance and a Member Accident
Protection Program are covered.
Other things your son's dues help fund include helping send members to the Delta Chi International
Convention (every other year), helping send members to the Regional Leadership Conference
(held yearly), Delta Chi Leadership College at our International Headquarters, and the Delta Chi
"A"s' Academy (where Presidents from more than 120 chapters and colonies come together for
leadership and management development.
While dues can be a significant amount of money, the return on your son's investment is high.
Associate Member vs. Pledge
"You mentioned Associate Member...what is that? Is it the same thing as a Pledge?"
In Delta Chi, we do not do a "pledge process", we have an Associate Member education program. Through
the recruitment process, we select men who we believe will be good additions to our Fraternity,
helping to further our goals and uphold our ideals. Once the membership votes on a rushee,
if all are in agreement he will be extended a Bid, which is an invitation to join the Fraternity. If
your son accepts the Bid, he does not "pledge to become a member", he will become affiliated with
the fraternity in a public Associate Member Ceremony, where he is given the Associate Member pin
and a copy of the Cornerstone (the Delta Chi member manual) and actually becomes a member of Delta Chi.
This allows him to come to Chapter/Colony meetings, take part in events,
and even vote, things "pledges" in other fraternities and sororities do not have the privelige of doing.
The only thing separating an Associate Member from a Brother is that an Associate Member (AM for short)
has not been through Ritual and does not know the Secrets of Delta Chi.
Associate Members will go through an 8 - 10 week educational process where they learn about the Fraternity,
its values, ideals, history and much more. Once they have completed their program, if they have upheld
the qualities shown when they were extended bids and prove to be the kind of man that should be a
Delta Chi, he will be invited to Initiation, where he can become a full member.
Get Involved
"That all sounds great! How can I get involved and further support my son?"
There are a number of ways you can get involved. Fathers or other male relatives are
potential candidates for alumni initiation. This means they are selected by the undergraduate
chapter/colony to be initiated into the Bond. He is someone whom the Brothers feel can enhance
the Fraternity. Alumni initiates are recognized as a full member of the Delta Chi Fraternity and
have the same rights and privileges as any other alumnus of the Fraternity.
Parents' or Moms' Clubs are also a great way to get involved in your son's chapter. Parents'
Clubs can play a role in the organization of parents' weekends, homecoming, finals care packages
and more.
Here you can view
sample Parents' Club By-Laws.
Lastly, here is an
Open Letter to Parents from the Executive Director of Delta Chi.